Catalyst
by Queen of Tortall
Summary: SPOILERS for Season 8 Finale. House's "death" sparks a chain of reactions that no one could've foreseen. Cameron/Chase. Currently on hiatus.
1. Catalyst

**Catalyst**

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House's "death" sparks a chain of reactions that no one could've foreseen. Set after season finale (Everybody Dies). Cameron/Chase

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_So you're taking these pills_

_For to fill up your soul…_

_You'll be the vein_

_You'll be the pain_

_You'll be the catalyst_

-_Anna Nalick_

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Allison Cameron swore that when she came back for House's funeral, she wouldn't fall prey to the memories, wouldn't talk to or ever look at Chase; she _was_ happily married, after all.

But then, who was she kidding? She was going to a _funeral_, and where better to reminisce than at a commemoration of someone's life?

Walking through the doors of Princeton Plainsboro was hard. Seeing House's face again, frozen in his trademark scowl, was hard. Looking into the eyes of her old colleagues and coworkers, was hard. But the hardest of all? The realization that after her departure, things had never really been the same. All these new doctors, trying to fill Cuddy's requirement of having woman on the team; House's stint in jail; Chase's haircut and his own departure from House's department; Wilson's imminent death…it was all too much. Cameron could feel the tears welling up in her eyes, and angrily shook them off. No. The speeches hadn't even begun, and she was not going to cry before she gave hers.

"Allison?" a voice said softly.

She sighed. There was only one person who had that trademark accent.

Turning, she brought her eyes up to his. _So much for not looking at him_, she thought. "Robert."

He looked unsure for a moment, and Cameron was reminded strongly of when he first asked her out, when he had the same uncertainty and hope in his eyes. _Gone_, her mind whispered. _The Robert you knew is gone_.

"Allison, I-" he paused. "Would you like to come sit by me?" He didn't have to add the unspoken, _I don't want to be alone_.

Because even though House was an arrogant asshole, a selfish jerk who cared about no one but himself, he was undeniably brilliant. He was a genius, a savior, no matter how much he denied it. He had taught all of them, shaped them, nurtured them. He was the father figure Chase never really had, and Cameron understood that, as much as she blamed House for the whole Dibala incident. House had needed them, and in a way, they had needed him too.

And now he was gone.

Cameron found her traitorous eyes tearing up again, and allowed Chase to take her arm and lead her to their seats.

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_A/N: My first House fanfic. Tell me what you think, and if I should continue?_


	2. Gravity

**Chapter 2: Gravity**

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_Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity. -Sara Bareilles_

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Chase watched as Cameron finished up her hospital duties, musing at days long past. He had missed her, more than he'd ever admit to anyone. He'd missed her soothing presence at the hospital, missed the way her golden hair would spill over her shoulders like sunlight, missed the concern in her eyes- because she cared, unlike everyone else. Cameron seemed to glow from within, her cheeks flushed a pretty pink as a little half-smile lifted her lips.

Although he had checked up on Cameron periodically over the past few years, Chase's knowledge about her personal life is virtually nonexistent. He started toward her, thinking maybe to ask her out for a couple of drinks, to catch up… like old friends would, right? They had parted on relatively good terms, after all.

Midway, his whole body froze. _What the….?_

Unfathomable. While he'd imagined Cameron dating someone else, it was inconceivable that she had gone and gotten married and _had a kid_.

_Bloody hell._

It seemed that while he was stuck in the same place, performing the same routine tasks for the same boss, Cameron had moved on quickly, altogether too quickly.

_God, how many husbands does that woman need to have?_ he wondered bitterly, turning away from the saccharine scene before him.

Snatching up his jacket, Chase headed to the nearest bar- to a solitary night of drink after drink.

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**A/N: So, due to the reader feedback, I've decided to continue this. I know the chapters have been short so far, but it was just sticking with canon. We'll start deviating from it now. (Plus it's rather difficult for me to write long chappies... -_-) Thanks for reading and reviewing.**

**Oh. And I forgot. There may be some inconsistencies in the chapter- I don't really know what Cameron was doing on the computers, but she was wearing scrubs. And I have no idea if Aussies actually say "bloody hell," but it sounded a lot better than "what the hell." Let me know if there's a slang phrase that they actually say that would fit better. I'm all for making it realistic ;)**

**Aaaand now I'm pretty sure my author's note is longer than the actual chapter. Whoops. I promise the next few chapters will be longer, though they may take awhile to post. **


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